THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

Confederate States of America (CSA) After Lincoln was elected: 7 states seceded –Dec. 1860, South Carolina = 1st –Tension grew, April 1861 = fighting began…

The Fall of Fort Sumter Fort Sumter = Union base in SC –Confederates said surrender or we will attack. –low on supplies. –Lincoln said we won’t surrender, but will send food & supplies. –Jefferson Davis (CSA President) had to decide to attack & go to war or allow Union troops to stay. The attack on the fort –Davis ordered a surprise attack before the supplies could arrive. –On April 12, 1861, Confederates opened fire –Fort Sumter surrendered.

The Rush to War Response in the North Lincoln calls for 75,000 volunteers 90 days’ service to put down the rebellion Northerners rush to enlist Reaction in the South now 8 other slave states were forced to choose a side 4 seceded and 4 became border states (they kept slavery but still part of the Union)

The Border States Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, & Missouri Maryland — Washington, D.C., at risk would be surrounded by Confederate territory. Missouri — Mississippi River Kentucky — the Ohio River Delaware - coast line

Goals and Strategies Union Goals War could not center around the dispute over slavery—border states pushed to secede Fight to save USA Confederate Goals South wanted to be left alone with slavery unchanged defend against invasion Felt N. would tire of war and withdraw –Just need to wait it out

Strengths & Strategies The North’s Larger population = more available soldiers More factories = more war supplies General Winfield Scott’s plan—slowly seal the South off from the rest of the world—Anaconda plan Go to Richmond (CSA’s capital) taking control of it would mean a quick end to the war. Believed support for the cause made up for lack of resources Fighting for freedom, ¾ of the pop. did not have slaves convinced their military leaders were superior — many army officers were southerners. The South’s

The Major Battles Begin First Battle of Bull Run –ended hope for a short war, S won –Stonewall Jackson earned his nickname and CSA caused Union troops to retreat. –2,000 Confed. and 2,900 Union casualties. Results –Lincoln called for a million more men, 3 yrs. –Replaced McDowell with General George McClellan, 1 st job = create an army from the volunteers

Fighting for Mississippi Valley Ironclads ships used by the Union to take the Mississippi Valley. Ulysses S. Grant (N) captured Forts Henry and Donelson, leaving the Miss. R. open for attack. Grant went S. to the r.r. town of Corinth, Miss. Battle of Shiloh = Confederate loss; 23,000+ casualties. Grant knew the Union would be saved only by complete conquest. New Orleans fell to Admiral Farragut (N), continued up the Miss. R. taking cities. Only Vicksburg remained in Confederate hands.

The War in the East General McClellan Hesitant commander lead 100,000-man army, wanted to attack Richmond Fought a series of battles but always delayed action Lincoln held troops back to defend Washington Confederates attacked in a series of battles, but McClellan retreated after 4 wins in 5 battles. 2 nd Battle of Bull Run cautiously McClellan waited outside Richmond. Lincoln turned to John Pope with his 50,000 troops in northern Virginia. Robert E. Lee lured Pope into battle and defeated him. Lincoln put McClellan back in command – had to use what he had better commanders + smaller forces = south victory

The Union Is Invaded Union morale = low, Confederates determined to attack on Union soil Battle of Antietam (N won) – McClellan caught up with Lee in Sharpsburg, MD. – fighting 1 day = 23,000 casualties. – McClellan allowed the S to retreat into Virginia. – He was fired. The Battle of Fredericksburg (S won) – Ambrose Burnside = new Union commander – Marched huge army to Richmond – Attacked Confederates head-on left 13,000 Union dead. – The battle = disaster for the Union.

The Emancipation Proclamation Attitudes about the war changed with increased casualties –No longer about just saving the Union, the South needed to be punished for the bloodshed of the war. Emancipation Proclamation issued on January 1, 1863 –It freed the slaves in all areas in rebellion against the U.S. –Abolitionists were upset slavery continued in the Union. –Riots broke out with increased competition for jobs in the North. –Supporters felt it would shorten the war. Overseas reaction –With war now about ending slavery, Britain would side with the Union.

African Americans and the War Escaped/freed slaves had many jobs (in the army) They formed Union army regiments (segregated until WWII) - used for labor and guard duty at 1st, then allowed to fight The 54 th Massachusetts Infantry was the most famous unit 180,000 African Americans served in Union armies, taking part in 200 battles. More than 38,000 died

Life in the Military Conditions = poor, tents were crowded, no ground cover Camp rations were ok, but while on march soldiers ate hardtack and coffee. Wartime medicine Disease/infection = cause for most deaths Epidemics swept through the camps. Camp life POW exchanges ended in 1863, N & S treated POWs badly, disease and starvation Prison camps

Life for home In the South Shortages made life difficult. There were few factories, food production dropped because of war. War was fought on credit… = inflation High prices & shortages = riots over food. Soldiers deserted army to take care of their families.

Women in the Civil War Southern Women Spies Took over farms, stores, and plantations volunteer nurses then allowed to be hired as army nurses Northern Women Factory jobs Teachers = went south to ed. Ex-slaves 1 st office jobs in gov’t Army = nurses, volunteers Spies

Three Major Battles Battle of Chancellorsville General Joseph Hooker = command of Union. Lee sent Stonewall Jackson in a surprise attack, nearly destroying the Union army on the first day. S. won, Lee’s greatest victory, beat a force 2x its size. Lee wanted to invade the N. again, hoped a victory there would end the war. Lee marched north, and Lincoln replaced Hooker with General George Meade. Stonewall Jackson = shot by own men (accident) died after amputation N & S sent troops to Gettysburg, Penn. The Battle of Gettysburg Overconfident Lee pushed his troops into battle (wanted to win in the N.) ½ men in Pickett’s Charge died Lee retreated back to Virginia. N. Won, HUGE 3 day battle The Siege of Vicksburg Grant (N) began siege of Vicksburg, May Last large city in confed. control on the Miss R. 48 days, city surrendered. 4 more days, last confed fort on the Miss. R. surrendered too

The Chattanooga Campaign The string of Confederate losses ended with Braxton Bragg’s victory at the Battle of Chickamauga. Union army retreated, found the road to Chattanooga had been left unprotected, so they fled to the city. Bragg followed, Union soldiers = ready to defend the city. Confederate troops prepared to starve them out. Grant arrived and opened a supply line to feed the trapped Union troops. The siege ended, & Union won the next two battles. = Union control of the rr center at Chattanooga & allowed Grant into Georgia

Grant vs. Lee General Ulysses S. Grant –Lincoln gave him command of Union armies in March 1864, and Grant made William T. Sherman commander on the western front –Grant wanted to take advantage of the Confederate shortages of men and supplies to end the war before the November election. –Ordered Sherman to “get into the interior of the enemy’s country as far as you can and inflict all the damage you can against their war resources” General Robert E. Lee –South could not win the war, but a new president might accept southern independence in return for peace. –Lee planned to make the cost of fighting so high for the North that Lincoln would lose the upcoming election.

Fierce Fighting During Cold Harbor – S won, Lee’s last big victory, 1 st time men pinned names/hometown Petersburg = N won, right b4 taking the Richmond Wilderness and Spotsylvania Grant (N) won both – many died on both sides Cold Harbor and Petersburg Sherman won the Battle of Atlanta after closing down the last railroad line. 1 mo. b4 Union pres. elections. Sherman on the move

Confederate Hopes Fade Dems. nominated McClellan, he called for an immediate end to the war. Gave south hope Repubs. picked Tenn’s Andrew Johnson to run with Lincoln as VP. Lincoln expected to lose the election. Lincoln won easy against McClellan (because Sherman just took over Atlanta). Congress passed the 13 th Amend. (ended slavery), War = over (except for “diehards”)

The War Comes to an End Sherman’s March After the election, Sherman marched across Georgia = “March to the Sea“ 300 miles long, 50–60 miles wide. After taking Savannah, Sherman turned north through South Carolina, destroying civilian property all along the way. The fall of Richmond Lee only had 35,000 defenders at Petersburg, low on supplies. Grant didn’t wait for Sherman. he broke through Lee’s defenses at Petersburg & took Richmond. Lee tried to escape, Grant blocked the way.

Surrender at Appomattox Lee and Grant Union forces surrounded them, Lee surrendered, April 1865 Terms of the surrender for Lee. = troops had to turn over their weapons and leave. “The war is over. The rebels are our countrymen again.” – Grant to his men The war is over Lincoln was shot April 1865 (just a few days after Lee’s surrender) The last of the Confederate forces surrendered May 26, 1865.